Education Commons^™

Leading Through Change : 2020, Domenick J. Pinto

Academic Chairpersons Conference Proceedings

Having served as department chair and school director for 31 years, I have witnessed a tremendous evolution in the role of chair as economic, social and student climates have changed. My session will summarize collected data from chairs of departments of various sizes and types in order to discuss and understand better our ever changing role as we see responsibilities of delegating, leading change, creative budgeting and fundraising, grant writing and managing conflict become vital to our positions

What I Wish I Knew: A Reflection Of A First-Year Chairperson, Tim Channell

Academic Chairpersons Conference Proceedings

This session will provide the “top 10” list of things I wish I knew before becoming chairman. Valuable tips will be offered on time management, positive faculty interactions, working with shared governance to achieve more, overcoming imposters syndrome, understanding inter-office politics, and dealing with the onslaught of email.

Feedback: The Foundation Of Kind Leadership, Rebecca L. Koltz, Melissa Odegard

Academic Chairpersons Conference Proceedings

Brene Brown states that “Clear is kind. Unclear is unkind.” To give clear and direct feedback requires brave academic leaders who understand that feedback is critical to leadership success. This presentation will use a feedback model – Johari’s Window (Luft & Ingham, 1955), as a backdrop for understanding how to give productive feedback in higher education.

Facilitating Communication With Diverse Teams, Maryjane Lewitt

Academic Chairpersons Conference Proceedings

Non- hierarchical communication structures are associated with greater clarity across all levels. These structures can be implemented in a variety of ways under different circumstances. A variety of communication processes should be implemented to improve communication with individualizing the technique to the type of information being communicated.

From Without And Within: Challenges Of Assuming Leadership, Melody Loya, Sue Joiner

Academic Chairpersons Conference Proceedings

This presentation shares experiences in leadership at a regional university (from two perspectives, promoting from within and without) and discusses how the presenters built support systems to navigate changes. In a highly interactive format, participants will help guide the direction of the workshop.

Gender Diversity And Generational Gaps: Two Hurdles Worth One Giant Leap, Renee Marine

Academic Chairpersons Conference Proceedings

Presenter and participants will explore the gender and generational similarities and differences that exist today both in the classroom and departmentally. Emerging strategies and best practices will be shared and discussed.

Values-Based Leadership: Culture Vs. Strategy, Kimberly Miloch, Abigail Tilton, Chris Ray

Academic Chairpersons Conference Proceedings

Using Google’s Project Aristotle re:Work framework (2012), psychological safety principles (Edmondson, 1999; Edmondson & Lei, 2014), and Sinek’s (2009) purposeful leadership tenets, this workshop will engage participants in refining a leadership philosophy; in outlining steps to create a values-based culture; and in creating high performing research teams and committees.

Using Accreditation To Build Teamwork In A Department, David A. Line

Academic Chairpersons Conference Proceedings

The additional demands of the accreditation process provide a unique opportunity for program chairs to develop positive relationships between administration, staff, and faculty. This best practice presentation will look at the accreditation process from the perspective of the support staff and utilizing the accreditation process as a team building exercise.

I’M A Chair, But I Feel Like A Therapist, Krista Bridgmon, Aaron Alexander, Elizabeth List

Academic Chairpersons Conference Proceedings

For this seminar, we invite Chairs to evaluate situations in their practice that resemble the work of a counselor. To prime and contextualize this interactive workshop, the presenters will ignite the inner-listener. Skills in listening to listen, not listening to respond will be at the forefront of the presentation.

Building A Departmental Culture Using Data, Behavior, And Humility, Diane Myers

Academic Chairpersons Conference Proceedings

This presentation focuses on how behavioral strategies, data-based decision making, and a healthy dose of humility (and humor) can create a departmental culture that promotes faculty, staff, and student success. Discussions and activities will center on creating and communicating expectations, determining priorities, and creating a collaborative community.

Facilitating Racial Equity: Evaluating A Leadership Workshop Series For School Social Workers, Summer G. Woodside, Veronica Hardy

International Journal of School Social Work

This article provides an overview of a leadership training workshop series designed to provide professional development to Pre-K through 12th grade school social workers about racial equity and leadership. The series' objectives included promoting social workers’ understanding of and obligation to facilitating racial equity in schools, analyzing educational data through a racial equity lens, conceptualizing school social workers as influencers in addressing racial inequities in schools, and collaborating with school professionals of various disciplines to practice and implement evidence-based approaches for facilitating racial equity in schools. The authors conducted five workshops that were developed based on state school social work …

Collaborative Autonomy: Exploring The Professional Freedom Of Three Science Teachers, Michael Ralph, Darian Robbins, Stephen Young, Laurence Woodruff

Educational Considerations

Education reform efforts must support and protect professional autonomy for classroom teachers. When policymakers attempt to make systemic change in ways that reduce the professional autonomy of educators, student learning suffers. Teachers need the freedom to identify their professional goals, seek resources and collaboration opportunities in pursuit of those goals, and act on feedback regarding their progress in meeting those goals. We present three stories from teachers who share a department engaged in collaborative autonomy. These accounts provide guidance for how professional autonomy can be defended by those pursuing systemic change.

Leadership During Change, Mischel Miller

Educational Considerations

The national education system, similar to the Kansas education system, has seen little change since the 1800s(Throckmorton, 1967). In fact, over 50 years later, there have been few changes. Children come to school around the age of five to enter kindergarten and then move through the current system by age and grade level. These children sit in rows, are addressed by the expert teacher, are given information, and are expected to memorize and regurgitate the material in a standardized testing process. Schools in Kansas predominately open their doors in August and close in May (KSDE, 2018), perpetuating the long history …

What Does A Successful 24 Year Old Look Like?: Reflections From The State Board Of Education, Jim Porter

Educational Considerations

“What does a successful 24 year old look like?” This is a critical question that must be successfully addressed if Kansas is to “Lead the World in the Success of EACH Student.”

For many decades we have attempted to fit the student in to the system and many students have been successful, however, many have not. What would happen if the system were built around the individual student? What would happen if student’s interests, passions and talents were controlling when determining the best educational plan for each student?

By developing Individual Plans of Study based on student interests, abilities and …